Quiet and affordable CPU cooler for socket AM2?

[alexruiz]

Hi there. Building a new machine for the wife around a socket AM2 3800+ x2 to replace the old and trusty XP 2500+. The machine won't be overclocked at all so performance of the cooler takes backseat. The most important factor here is NOISE. The current rig was modded to make it almost silent, so I know she will send me to the garage with my noisy creation if the machine is not quiet.

Current situation:
-Biostar M7NCD Pro (NForce 2 ultra 400, pasive cooled)
-Radeon 9600 (passive cooled)
-Athlon XP 2500+ with an SVC GC-69 cooler. Fan of the cooler was replaced with a panaflo L1A (24 CFM, 21 dBA)
- PowMax 400 W power supply. Fan was replaced also with a panaflo L1A
- Seagate 7200.7 200 GB

The machine has been in service for almost 4 years without any complaint. As you can see, I have only 2 fans in the case, and both of them are panaflos L1A. You can barely hear the computer. Back in the old socket A days, the SVC coolers GC68 and GC69 were very affordable and allowed enough cooling of the CPU with a quiet fan.

Is there any cooler like that for socket AM2? I was checking the thermaltake A4022 that seems affordable and quiet. Any other suggestion?

Thanks


Alex


Thanks

 

[RKS]

Text cheap ($5.99) and probably quiet

 

[alexruiz]

Originally posted by: RKS
Text cheap ($5.99) and probably quiet

Thanks. Looks OK, a little noisier than I would want, but you can always replace the fan

 

[RKS]

I have the 775 and AMD x2 versions and they are very quiet. the fan is actually is attached via a proprietary method so you may not be able to change it easily.

 

[Talcite]

There's alot more to a quiet system than just the CPU cooler. Try the P180. I'm using it right now and its awesome. Most of the stock tri-cool fans are quiet enough on low.

Stick a Seasonic S-12 (do they make those anymore?) onto the case. Extremely quiet case. The loudest part is the hard drive, which really isn't that loud. My breathing beats out this case. As for CPU cooler, the quietest one you can get is probably the Scythe Ninja. I don't remember if it works for the AM2 though. I seem to remember them releasing a Scythe Ninja plus or something.

I'm also using a passively cooled GFX solution.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: RKS
Text cheap ($5.99) and probably quiet

That's a good one. Another choice is by the same company, the Freezer 64 Pro. It can be had here or there for around $18 or so and is one of those fancier tower heatpipe designs.

 

[RKS]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: RKS
Text cheap ($5.99) and probably quiet

That's a good one. Another choice is by the same company, the Freezer 64 Pro. It can be had here or there for around $18 or so and is one of those fancier tower heatpipe designs.

I have one of those as well as the Freezer Pro 7 for my Intel system but I don't think it is available for the AM2 chipset.

 

[Zap]

IIRC any s754/s939/s940 HSF that uses stock mounting will work on AM2.

 

[dawza]

Thermalright Ultra-90 $15.95

AM2 bracket $2.99

You probably have some spare fans lying around- the Ultra 90 clips are built for 92mm fans, but it is easy enough to velcro or otherwise McGyver a smaller fan to it. The heatsink itself may even be effective enough to run passive/semi-passive depending on how much load the processor will see on average, as well as the overall airflow in the case and case ambient temperature.

The AC Alpine 64 at SVC for $5.99 should also do the trick with near-silence if your thermal loads are low enough. SPCR Review

 

[swtethan]

you can do the scythe ninja without fans

 

[swtethan]

why not buy a Energy Efficient chip? If you want a completely silent system, the antec phantom sells for like $150 its a fanless PSU. you go with a fanless motherboard, video card, scythe ninja running fanless, maybe use the scythes fan as a case fan (or buy 1 very quiet fan) I have a silverstone fm121 and you cannot hear it on low.

 

[swtethan]

or a fortron fanless for $90 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817104902

you would want a WD caviar HDD since they are pretty quiet, might want something to prevent vibration from the HDD to the case also.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103733 I think this is an EE chip.

 

[50cent1228]

you can get the ultra 120 and have a silent yate loon on it

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Thermalright HR-01??

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: swtethan
a fanless PSU

I vote no on the fanless PSU. I have one and no longer use it because temps went too high and one exhaust fan that was temperature controlled would ramp up like crazy. Went with a Seasonic S12 and overall noise levels went down along with temps. Cost a lot less too.

 

[aidanjm]

Originally posted by: Talcite
There's alot more to a quiet system than just the CPU cooler. Try the P180. I'm using it right now and its awesome. Most of the stock tri-cool fans are quiet enough on low.

the P180 is a very large case in this situation (the OP is using a 3800 X2) he could use a smaller case - the Antec Solo (or P150) which is also very easy to make silent. maybe he could even get away with the relatively tiny antec nsk 3300 if he is using a microatx board and perhaps an energy efficient x2 chip.

 

[alexruiz]

Thanks for all the ideas. I already have a case (ultra wizard mid ATX) but if I didn't I would surely pick one of those suggested. I will mod the power supply and replace the 120 mm fan with one fo those suggested.

AT remains the best!


Alex